Being referred to as one of the Argentinian national dishes, Carbonada Criolla offers a healthy, colorful cocktail of flavors and spices that celebrate Argentinian cuisine.
You can make Carbonada Criolla by sautéing onion, garlic, and beef with vegetables, then bringing them to boil with dried fruits for a sweet taste. You can add different vegetables and spices to your liking. Traditionally, this Argentine beef stew was served inside a baked pumpkin shell.
Below, you will find some interesting facts about this special Argentinian dish and its history, along with a delicious recipe on how to cook Carbonada Criolla.
What Is Carbonada Criolla
Carbonada Criola is a traditional Argentinian sweet and sour beef stew. It is made by slowly boiling cubes of beef with dried fruits and fresh vegetables. The fruits and sweet potatoes contribute to a sweeter taste, whereas the rest of the vegetables provide a mix of different flavors to balance.
Carbonara Criolla stands among the tastiest, most colorful, and most flavorful Argentinian foods.
It is a perfect beef stew, especially for the colder seasons, and is usually served with cornbread, which is also very popular in Argentina.
History of Carbonada Criolla
The history of Carbonada Criolla dates back to the colonial era. It originates from European-style stews.
However, it has an entirely local twist, with ingredients from Patagonia, Argentina.
The dish was cooked inside a pumpkin, buried in wood ashes, and simmered for about 4 hours.
‘Carbonada’ refers to the process of ‘slowly cooking for a long time’, and ‘Criolla’ refers to Criollos– the local population in Argentina.
There are slightly different versions of this recipe.
Each includes the famous and delicious Argentinian beef, which adds exquisite and authentic flavor to many dishes in Argentina.
How To Make Carbonada Criolla
Follow the Carbonada Criolla recipe below if you want to try this delicious dish.
You will need vegetables and dried fruits to give the popular Argentine stew a sweet and sour taste.
The good news is that there are different variations of the Carbonara Criolla, and you can choose between different kinds of dried fruits or vegetables, according to your liking.
To make Carbonada Criolla, sautè onion, garlic, beef, green bell peppers, tomatoes, squash, sweet and white potatoes with salt and ground pepper. Add dried fruits and bring the stew to boil with water or beef broth on low heat for one hour. You can serve it inside a pumpkin with cornbread.
Here’s the detailed recipe for Carbonada Criolla:
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 big onion, chopped
- 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 pounds (0.7 kg) boneless beef cut into cubes
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 15 ounces (0.4 kg) canned diced tomatoes
- 2 sweet potatoes, chopped into large cubes
- 2 white potatoes, chopped into large cubes
- 1 big butternut squash, chopped
- 2 cups water or beef broth
- 8 ounces (0.2 kg) dried apricots or dried plums
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt
- Ground pepper
You can add extra ingredients to your liking.
For instance, you can mix your dried apricots or plums with raisins or even with fresh grapes.
You can also season your stew with hot paprika or add oregano and bay leaves.
Several recipes include corn and carrots as well.
Feel free to add any of the above ingredients to your Carbonada Criolla to give it a more personalized touch.
Directions
- Using a deep pot, heat the oil on medium heat.
- Sautè the onion and garlic until the onion is caramelized (transparent and golden) and set aside.
- Add the beef cubes and sautè for 5 minutes in the same pot until the beef is light brown.
- Add the caramelized onion and garlic, as well as the green bell pepper chops, tomatoes, sweet and white potato cubes, diced squash, and sautè for about 7 minutes.
- Add water or beef broth, salt, and pepper to your liking, and reduce the heat to low.
- Add the parsley and dried fruits, and cover the pot.
- Boil the ingredients on low heat and occasionally stir for about 1 to 1.5 hours, adding extra water or broth if necessary.
- Serve with cornbread.
For a more authentic taste, you can place the cooked stew inside a pumpkin shell and bring the pumpkin to bake in the oven for about 30 minutes at 350°F (177°C).
Your guests will be impressed with your stew’s taste and colors.
Final Thoughts
Carbonada Criolla is an authentic, colorful, and healthy Argentinian-style dish.
The sweet and sour tastes combined with mixed spices of your liking make it everyone’s favorite stew.
The secret to a yummy Carbonada Criolla is slowly cooking it in low heat.
It is the perfect dish to consume during cold seasons.
Its colors and cocktail of flavors will make Carbonada Criolla a memorable dish for you and your guests.
Sources
- Amigo Foods Blog – Your Latin Food Source: Argentine Foods
- Amigo Foods Blog – Your Latin Food Source: Why is Argentinian Beef So Delicious?
- The Spruce Eats: Carbonada Criolla (Argentinian Beef Stew)
- California Wine Club: Carbonada Criolla (Argentinian Beef Stew)
- Book of Days Tales: Carbonada Criolla
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Criollo
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Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.